Linger
by WitchAmz
Summary: Dark, angsty Wishverse. Oz/Nancy. Focus on White Hats, prior to and including The Wish.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Linger  
Author: Amz  
Rating: M  
Summary: Dark, angsty Wishverse. Oz/Nancy. Larry. Giles. Scott.  
Disclaimer: Joss and all the other pretty people.

Notes: I decided that Oz didn't become a werewolf in this AU. This doesn't really have any impact on the story, just thought I'd mention it.

For Karen and Vashti

* * *

Somewhere between the agonising screams of the night and the first, fearful breath of the day, a silence is heard across Sunnydale. The early morning sunlight casts shadows that play tricks on people. Afraid to go out into the streets, afraid to open doors to their families, the human population loses out to the other side; the relentless hunters of the night.

So how does one survive in a world like this?

Denial, distraction and departure are all good options. But for the students that gather in the school library each afternoon, these options are only temporary. Most of them return to a schedule of training or research, with tense faces and darkening circles beneath their harrowed eyes. Some fidget nervously as they discuss the latest casualties, while others busy themselves with whatever work they can find until finally, under the lead of their librarian, they head out into the night to patrol.

Over the months, the numbers have dwindled and the faces have changed, but they seem to have a good team now.

"A good team," Rupert Giles reminds them often, with false bravado, as he tries to summon courage and hope from their depths. They have all suffered unimaginable losses and some of these, Mr Giles has witnessed first hand.

Open books form pathways in his office and home, and the tales and facts that spill out of them are of the most vicious nature. When students wander into the library and catch sight of the horrific pictures on display, he simply offers a distracted apology and moves the volumes. But the images are out again only a few hours later, when he is distracted by another lead. His attempts to stay on top of the overwhelming amount of research and planning required are always overshadowed by the threat of the increasing vampire population in the town. There is never enough money for supplies; specifically weaponry and they go through stakes and arrows like nobody's business. He has had to become creative. He knows that he does neither job satisfactorily, but limited by time and resources, he falls behind.

Things have worsened considerably since Angel's disappearance. Their access to underground information and the only real defence they ever had, disappeared along with him. But as the weeks turned into months, it became clear that he was not going to return.

Oz took up some of the investigative work and was successful for a short time, bringing back useful pieces of information that seemed to please his leader.

He is fearless in a way that the others aren't and Giles imagines that this is because of the way in which the boy lost his parents. Giles thinks too often of his introduction to the then musician. The events of the night still haunt his sleep, along with all the victims they hadn't been able to save over the last year.

Giles sometimes wonders if Spike and Drusilla had something to do with Angel's disappearance, but he has no way of knowing. They vanished from the town months beforehand, taking with them some of the colour and life of Sunnydale.

The murders had been a turning point in the town's history and there had been the first of many town meetings. The residents were initially fed cover up stories of drugs and gang violence, but eventually, they were educated about the existence of vampires and other kinds of demons. Curfews and other regulations were implemented and a somberness permeated their lives.

They all deal with loss in different ways.

Larry, who has also lost his parents, talks enough to make up for Oz's lack of speech, especially when he is engaged in his regular arguments with Nancy. Nancy goes looking for fights with everyone apart from Giles, from whom she is mostly seeking praise, and Oz, who never takes the bait. But she has proven to be useful enough to make up for her offensive ways.

Giles watches the clock with concern. There had been no patrol the night before, due to the aftermath of Devon's death. For the first time in a long time, Nancy and Jonathan were the only members of the crew to show.

When Nancy returns from Devon's place with sagging shoulders, Giles frowns.

"He wasn't there?"

Nancy shakes her head and shrugs. "Maybe give him another day?"

Giles nods and sends her out to look for the others.


	2. Chapter 2

Nancy rolls her eyes.

She glares at Scott and Theresa for a moment and then looks around the quad. It's lunchtime and the place is practically empty. This time a year ago, students would have packed the area within five minutes. Theresa and Scott are as oblivious to the dwindling student numbers as they are to Nancy. So wrapped up in each other are they, that Nancy has to clear her throat several times before Theresa stops kissing her boyfriend and turns to look up at Nancy with a sheepish grin. Scott clenches his jaw and glares up at the redhead.

"What do you want Nancy?" He doesn't try to hide his disinterest and immediately goes back to kissing Theresa's neck.

"Giles wants to know if you guys are gonna show up tonight." Nancy says.

"Giles wants to know, or you want to know?" Scott stops for a second to smirk at Nancy's death stare. Nancy stops glaring at Scott and turns her attention to Theresa.

The girl shifts uncomfortably and pushes Scott away. "Well i-it's just that it's our anniversary." She says meekly.

Nancy narrows her eyes and holds up a hand. "What is it like two months? Besides, I thought that was yesterday."

"Three, actually." Theresa corrects her. "And yesterday was the anniversary of ..."

"Okay, I really don't care. Look, you guys had last night off. Larry's still out of town getting his brother settled, so we really need both of you to help us out tonight." It's a clear order. Nancy doesn't plead with anybody.

"Well I really need a few days of not having to watch somebody die." Scott says bluntly.

Nancy suddenly recalls the look in Oz's eyes when it dawned on him that Devon would not be revived. She'd worked on the singer until her back ached and her lungs cried out with exhaustion, until Giles returned from the emergency room in defeat.

Her scowl increases. "Oh, you think the rest of us want to deal with that? He wasn't even your friend, Scott! The only person here with the right to some time off is Oz and as soon as he's ready to come back, you guys can ..." She stops abruptly when Scott starts laughing.

"You think Oz is coming back?" He tips his head in surprise. "Nancy, Oz is done. That guy is beyond fucked up. We're never gonna see him again."

Nancy doesn't trust herself to speak, but Theresa is watching her reddening cheeks with alarm. "We'll be there, Nancy." The dark haired girl speaks up suddenly. "Tell Giles he can count on us." Scott looks at the girl beside him in surprise and then let out a frustrated sigh.

Nancy's eyes narrow at the pair as she considers this and then turns on her heel and stalks off. "Good." She mumbles.

Scott throws his head back and holds out his hands in defeat. "Why? Now she'll think she's won!"

Theresa smiles. "She always thinks she's won. And you do realize you're still talking when you could be kissing me?"

Scott shakes his head and groans. "Damnit, Klusmeyer, you always make the best points." He smiles and pulls her onto his lap. 


	3. Chapter 3

They arrive at the library a few hours later, with plenty of time to spare, but it's clear that Scott isn't happy to be there. They decide to take Nancy's station wagon for the trip and Scott insists on driving. Grateful just to have him there, Nancy agrees, but she makes a point to do reluctantly. Even as they're packing the car and getting ready to go, Nancy tries to stall them, looking across the carpark as though she's waiting for somebody.

"He's not coming, Princess." Scott smiles darkly and it irritates Nancy to hear his use of Larry's pet name for her. She finds herself missing the jock's incessant teasing. He at least seemed to find Nancy's critical observations amusing.

Scott is not of that school of thought. They head out and Giles tries to ignore the tension in the air. Jonathan sits in the back, between the two girls, trying to distract them with chewing gum.

They always drive with the windows down so that they can hear what they can't see. It's not long before a scream pierces the flickering air rushing through the windows and Scott directs the wagon towards the sound. Giles considers the two vampires circling a young man to be a fair match for the five of them. He jumps out with his stake poised alongside the large cross he always carries. One of the vampires hisses and lets go of the teenager, backing off with a snarl. The other one launches itself at Giles, and the man does his best to fight it off. The cross burns into the vampire, sending trails of smoke up into the dark night and the vampire screams and slaps the cross away. The frightened boy jumps into the car and hides behind the seats.

Nancy is right beside Giles, sending off arrows from the crossbow she holds. Two hit the vampire in his arm and one, frustratingly close to his heart. Scott and Jonathan are trying to fend off the other vampire as Theresa stands back, watching cautiously until a third vampire appears and takes hold of her. Her strangled cry cuts through the din and Scott immediately rushes to the girl's aide and pulls her aside. He aims his stake wielding fist at the vampire. The vampire easily dodges the swing and takes hold of the weapon in an instant. Scott jumps out of the way, but the retaliating swing connects with a shaking Theresa, who crumbles to the ground. She gapes up at Scott, wide eyed. The stake protrudes from her chest and Scott studies it, horrified. Nancy fires a shot from the crossbow and this time, she dusts the vampire instantly. They pull Theresa into the car as Giles jumps into the drivers seat and points the car back towards the school.

"Take her to the hospital, damnit!" Scott yells.

Giles hits the steering wheel in frustration. "It's after hours!" He cries. "We tried that with Devon."

Scott's eyes widen as he stares down at Theresa. "I-i-it's okay. I'm okay." She whispers, but the colour is draining from her face too quickly. Scott gazes at her fearfully and starts to weep as her lips quiver.

"Hold on." He whispers. "Stay with me."

Her eyes latch onto his and grow still as she slips away. She is gone by the time they reach the school.

They sit silently in the car for a few moments and then Giles opens his door and steps out onto the ground. The others pile out of the car, and stand around, watching Scott nervously. The young boy they saved hunches at the edge of the group, completely forgotten. He follows them when the dark haired boy finally eases himself out of the car with the lifeless girl in his arms. The librarian takes some of the weight of the girl and helps Scott to carry her body towards the school. The boy follows them awkwardly, as they go through the doors and split up at the entrance to the library. He passes through the swinging, wooden doors with the red haired girl and the short, brown haired boy and looks around anxiously.


	4. Chapter 4

Giles watches Scott closely as they stand frozen in place outside the doors. Scott seems to know that it's pointless to take Theresa into the library, but he can't make his feet move towards the other place. He looks up at Giles, his face stricken.

"Let me take her." Giles says gently.

Scott allows Giles to take Theresa completely out of his arms, but follows him through the hallways and down the stairs. It's a long walk to the room with the incinerator and Scott watches with a blank face as Giles disappears through the door.

Scott hesitates, staring at the walls vacantly until his face changes. His eyes narrow and his jaw sets. He turns on his heel and stalks back towards the library.

When the doors swing open and Scott storms into the room, the others look up from the large table. Nancy studies him nervously, but doesn't move. When Scott catches sight of her, everything else fades away. He's furious. Shaking, he walks up to Nancy and lets out a ragged breath. He only means to give her a quick shake, scare her a little, but the moment his fingers close over her shoulders, he suddenly doesn't care anymore.

The back of her head cracks up against the wall behind her, as hateful, accusing words tumble out of his mouth. Nancy winces and Scott's eyes narrow. His fingers dig into her arms as he thinks about never taking Theresa into his bed with him again.

He almost smiles at the shakiness in Nancy's voice as she speaks with regret about the events of the day. He barely notices Jonathan pulling on his arm, he simply pushes the boy away and turns back to Nancy. The intensity of his anger unsettles him, but he can't tear himself away from her.

He suddenly feels himself getting pulled back, and he falls against the chairs behind him.

Oz has moved in front of Nancy and he glares down at Scott. "Leave her alone." He warns.

Scott frowns up at Oz and kicks the chairs beside him. He tries to pull himself up, but only makes it halfway, before he suddenly collapses into a series of gut wrenching sobs. Oz's face softens as he turns to look at Nancy.

"Theresa?" He asks.

"Vampire staked her." Nancy studies Oz warily as he winces. "What are you doing here?"

"Got your note." He murmurs, turning back to Scott. "I guess not soon enough." He glances between Nancy and Scott, seemingly torn between the pair. Eventually he sighs and crouches down beside the boy. He waits for a few minutes, watching him, and then holds out a hand.

Scott recoils from the gesture and glares at Oz. "Get away from me." He hisses.

Oz holds his hands up in surrender and stands slowly. He frowns as he watches Scott for a moment and then walks around the table and into the book cage. Nancy is sorting through the weapons with trembling hands. She clears her throat several times and sniffs.

"It's not your fault, you know." He says quietly.

Her eyes narrow. "I know that." Annoyed, she flings her hair over her shoulders and turns back to the weapons cupboard.

Oz studies her for a moment, sighs and heads back out into the library to speak to Jonathan.

The night passes slowly, but they manage to get through it somehow. Giles and Jonathan take Scott and the rescued boy home and Oz and Nancy go to see Theresa's mother. They stay with her until shortly after dawn, when a woman with short hair arrives to comfort Mrs Klusmeyer and practically pushes them out the door.

They stand in Theresa's front yard for a few minutes before Oz puts his hand on Nancy's back and leads her gently over to the passenger side of the van.

"Nan, I ... I really appreciate what you did for Dev the other night." Pressing his lips together, he watches her eyes as they lower to the ground.

"I just wish I could've done something." She mumbles.

"You did." His eyebrows quirk up as he squeezes her hand. "You tried. It means a lot to me. When he ... I didn't get to say it ..." He trails off.

She places her other hand on top of his and sqeezes his fingers gently between her palms. After a moment, she nods, releases his hand and finally looks up at him sorrowfully. The gesture somehow shows the rare empathetic side of Nancy, her inability to relate to people and her relief to have her friend back, all at once.

When Oz drops her off at her own house, he gazes at her with concern.

"Try to get some sleep." He insists and she nods blankly, stands on the driveway and stares after Oz's van as it disappears around the corner.


	5. Chapter 5

They don't see Scott again for weeks.

As time passes, they seem to fall back into routine. They manage to save a few victims and even kill a few vampires, but they lose many of their fellow students and other innocent people.

Eventually Scott reappears in the library and sits down at the desk as though he hadn't missed a day with them. He looks up at their questioning faces and shrugs, saying simply, "Well, what else am I gonna do?"

It's the night that Giles wants them to slay what Larry refers to as the Green Tequila Demon.

"It's a Teikithyl Demon." Giles arduously reminds him in quiet frustration.

Nancy knows all about it, irritating Larry with superfluous instructions. Jonathan is trying to psych himself up, but it's obvious that he's terrified. He keeps asking Giles questions that the librarian doesn't have time to answer. Giles is too busy ensuring that they are prepared for any eventuality, that he simply brushes Jonathan off, gives Scott the job of keeping watch and hands him a sword. Scott studies the sword and then looks up at the others and shrugs.

Oz enters the library and grabs a box. He stops to look around. "We ready?" He asks.

* * *

The five of them stand around the slithering creature as it stills, watching warily until Jonathan climbs cautiously out of the van. "Is it dead?" He asks.

"Yes," Giles announces, loud enough for them all to hear as he turns to pat Scott on the back. "Very good." He says. His relief is clear.

"Nice to have you back, man." Larry picks up his axe and heads back to the van, but Nancy doesn't even try to hide her scowl.

"Yeah, nice work Scott," she says flatly. "Pity you looked like an idiot out there for the most part."

As soon as they are safely seated in the van, Nancy launches into diatribe of blame, which she directs mostly at Giles. She claims that Scott should never have been allowed on the trip, especially because they had spent days preparing for the battle.

Larry sighs and shakes his head at the girl. He calls over his shoulder to Giles in the front seat. "Don't listen to Nan, Giles - it's a full moon. She can't handle the pressure. Plus, she's useless with a knife."

Nancy scowls at the football player and opens her mouth to criticise his technique in return.

"Actually I thought she did quite well," Giles smiles, trying to sooth the feathers before they are ruffled any further. "You all did very well."

Nancy scowls into her lap and closes her eyes as Larry glances over at Scott just in time to see the corners of his mouth turn up.

When they return to the library, Larry puts a box of bandages and medical supplies on the table and looks around "Okay, who's first?" He asks with a grin.

* * *

Oz breathes a sigh of relief when he finally discovers Nancy in one of the girl's bathrooms. She has her shirt twisted up over her shoulder and is straining to get a good look at the wound on her back. She jumps and straightens out her shirt when she catches sight of him in the mirror.

"Don't you knock?" She watches him in the mirror for a moment and then frowns. "Or ... stay out of the girl's bathroom because you're male?"

Oz ignores her and ventures further into the room, inspecting the windows and finally looking at her with concern. "What are you doing in here?" He asks her and walks along the stalls, opening each door fully to examine the empty cubicles.

"What does it look like?" She huffs.

"Well it looks like you're trying to get yourself killed." He explains seriously and opens another door. "Why else would you be in a bathroom so far away from the library?" His eyes narrow at her. "Nan, we couldn't even hear you if you screamed."

She sighs. "Do you really think I didn't check the stalls?"

"You're staring into a wall of mirrors," Oz shrugs. "Easily could of missed something. We can't afford to get complacent." He checks the last stall, walks over to Nancy and leans up against the sink.

It's just a matter of fact to Oz, but Nancy takes his general observations as criticisms. Her shoulders tense and she lets out a long, audible sigh, but if Oz notices her annoyance, he doesn't show it. He takes a long look at her back and frowns. "You got hurt pretty bad, huh?"

She turns to him and narrows her eyes. "I'm fine." She says through gritted teeth.

"Yeah, your blood stained sweater really shows that." He gives her a nod. "Let me look at it." He offers, sighing softly when Nancy frowns and takes a step back.

Oz starts to list her options until Nancy rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Fine." She lets out a huff and turns her back to Oz, lifting her shirt back up over her shoulder.

He takes a flashlight out of his pocket and inspects the long cut that runs down Nancy's shoulderblade. He rinses a cloth in the sink and cleans the majority of the blood away. Nancy watches him in the mirror as he works. He frowns at the wound, dabs at it and then pauses, squinting at the ceiling as he listens for something sinister. He presses at the cut gently and then hisses softly through his teeth. She can see his eyes narrow in the mirror."You're gonna need stitches, Nan."

"Ugh," she complains, "I am so not getting stitches."

The corners of his mouth turn up and she can hear the amusement in his voice. "I'll take you in the morning." He insists and smoothes a dressing over the cut. He turns her around and inspects her closely, squinting at the gash on her face and bending towards her neck. A moment later he takes a deep breath and relaxes. "Just a scratch." He confirms, in relief. His face is so close to hers that she can feel the warmth of his breath. She is suddenly very aware of his left hand resting on her hip and she tries to stop herself from fidgeting awkwardly. He looks into her eyes and she freezes in place. He's staring so intently at her, that her sudden intake of breath causes her eyes to widen in surprise.

He seems to realize that they are now unnecessarily close, but he doesn't move. Nancy stands, blinking and swaying nervously, as Oz gazes at her. He smells faintly of sweat and soda and she breathes the scent in, longingly. She sways forward, staring back at him, until he kisses her, but her hands go up to his shoulders instinctively, as she tries to distance herself from the contact. She's been burying her emotions for so long, that even now in Oz's embrace, she resists.

But there is urgency and need in the kiss. She stops fighting and before Oz can react to her hesitation, she is kissing him back. She wraps her fingers in his hair and brings him closer, forgetting any mention of complacency. It seems that they will go on like this forever, but it is only when Oz rakes a hand up Nancy's back, forgetting her injury, that she breaks their kiss to cry out. Oz immediately steps back to stare at her with concern.

"I'm sorry!" He whispers, taking hold of her shoulders gently.

"It's okay," she shakes her head and reaches out for him, but the jolt has been enough to snap him back to reality. He looks around in alarm and frowns, listening. Their struggling breaths are too loud and seem to echo off the walls. They work hard to silence themselves.

"We'd better get back." Oz says and steps out of their embrace. He walks over to the door and takes a long look out into the hallway and glances back at Nancy. Trembling, she gathers her things from the sink and follows Oz back to the library. They don't say anything, Oz doesn't even look at her and when they reach the library, he disappears into the weapons cage and busies himself with work. Nancy sits down at the table and pulls a book towards herself. She frowns into the text, but sees nothing. When Giles approaches shortly afterwards, he gently places his hand on her arm. She jumps and yells at him and he apologises and rubs his head wearily. He's tired and worn out.

"You're hurt." He says weakly, gesturing to her shirt.

She studies him critically. "Oz helped me." She explains and Giles nods and moves away.

Larry smiles at Nancy when she looks up and she gives him one of her best glares. He waggles his eyebrows at her and then chuckles into the tool box before him.

* * *

Nancy is slumped in her chair and her arms are sprawled out over the books with a complete lack of regard for the discomfort of carved wood, when Oz wakes her. She goes out to the car park with him.

There are still a few hours before school starts, but the emergency room has been open since dawn, long enough to spare them the mess that greets the frustrated and helpless hospital staff each morning. Oz shivers as he stares at the entrance, watching the janitors finish cleaning up. He curls his arms over the steering wheel.

Nancy slides her arms into her jacket and looks over at him. "Are you coming?" She asks expectantly.

"I'll wait here." He says quietly.

"Oh. Okay." She hesitates a little and before she can move off, Oz is looking over at her.

"Nan ... I don't think it's such a good idea." He tells her.

She smiles. "Well why did you bring me here then?" Her hand closes around the door.

His gaze falls. "Not the hospital. Us."

Her smile fades and there's a few beats before her eyes harden. "You kissed *me*!" She accuses him, annoyed. He just looks at her. She exhales loudly and shakes her head, then responds in a low voice. "Whatever."

She stalks toward the hospital and doesn't shoot him a backward glance.

When she emerges from the emergency room a few hours later, the van is still parked in the same spot, although Oz has long since fallen into a deep sleep. She looks longingly at the van until she sees Oz stir and then, with her eyebrows falling into a familiar scowl, she turns and walks down the road.

* * *

Nancy doesn't show up for patrol that night. Larry and Oz are concerned, but Giles, although admittedly surprised, calmly informs them that their poster for reliability has called in sick. When she shows up the next day, she's unusually quiet, and keeps to herself. When nudged, she directs most of her negative energy towards Oz, scathingly attacking every comment and suggestion he makes, until he withdraws even further into himself in a way that makes her want to punch herself. His relentless concern for her, shown in the looks he gives her whenever they cross paths, irritates her more than the flickers of pain in his eyes when she criticizes him.

She freaks out as only she knows how; acting like the bitch of the century to turn him against her, but it doesn't work. It doesn't work because he already rejected her and she's too stubborn to ask why.

Because Larry's right.

Fed up with her behaviour, Larry starts to loudly discuss Nancy's obsession with Oz at every inappropriate moment possible. He really gets into the teasing when he see how much it bothers her and he ignores Oz's attempts to silence him. Nancy gives up the hostility after a few days and Larry's relentless counter attack abides, but he takes her aside to question her.

This time he's serious, concerned, and he makes sure there's nobody else around when he presses her about Oz.

Nancy looks at Larry thoughtfully. Over time, she has developed a soft spot for the athlete, despite his taunting ways. The gentle tone he uses now, cuts through Nancy's icy exterior. But more significant than Larry's rare sincerity is the reality that Larry lives with Oz. He sees the tousled, early afternoon hair and the way that Oz's green eyes adjust to the light of each new day on the Hellmouth. He has the time to watch Oz turn things around in his head.

"You want me to kick his ass?" Larry's face twists into a mock scowl and he draws a watery smile from a face hardened by obstinance.

"I guess I kind of already did that." Nancy hangs her head and Larry nods slowly.

"Give him time, Nan." He muses and shrugs when Nancy slowly shakes her head. "You ever think maybe he's just afraid of losing you? Like everyone else?"

She doesn't respond, but he can see that he's gotten through to her.


	6. Chapter 6

Their patrol the following night is eerily uneventful. "Got a bad feeling about this Giles." Oz says quietly, but all the librarian can do is nod and agree. Oz insists on dropping Giles off at home and the five teenagers sit in the van and watch as the man runs up to the front door and into his unit. There is a flicker of light inside and then darkness, to indicate that all is well. The van moves slowly back out onto the roads.

"And now it's time to drop off Princess," Larry sighs. "Always got to drop her off first, 'cause she's a girl."

"We dropped Giles off first." Jonathon pipes up.

"Well then Giles must be a girl." Nancy sinks back into the wall on her side of the van, signalling that she isn't in the mood for their usual bickering.

"Well I personally am thankful everyday of my life that he isn't." Larry closes his eyes and smiles softly and Nancy smirks.

As they turn into Nancy's street, a clown suddenly runs into their vision and collides with the van. It rolls up onto the windscreen as Oz slams on the brakes, but the creature holds on. The others strain to see over the front seats and through the wind shield, watching in horror as the eyes open suddenly and the face morphs into that of a vampire. Oz hits the accelorator and drives erratically down the street, picking up speed and taking the next corner as fast as he can. The demon finally slides off and goes tumbling onto the road. They all breathe a sigh of relief and shiver.

"Damn clowns." Scott murmurs.

They hear the screams before they see the vampires. The light that spills out of the open front door, bathes the darkened street. It draws them quickly towards the horror unfolding in the front yard of Nancy's house and the girl rips the van door open and races into the yard before Larry can stop her.

Nancy throws herself into the fight without hesitation. Her mother is still alive and her eyes brighten when she sees her daughter.

"Nancy!" Mrs Doyle cries in a strained voice. She starts to sob. "Gran thought it was morning - I'm so sorry!" Her misery shakes Nancy.

Nancy kicks at the legs of the closest vampire and it hisses and lets go of her mother. "It's okay Mom." Nancy reaches for her mother, but she is thrown backwards onto the ground. She hits the dirt hard and is winded. Struggling to pull herself up, she sees Larry and Oz arrive on the scene, just in time to stop the vampire from hitting her again. By then, her mother is disappearing into the darkness, dragged by several vampires and her mouth opens in a wail that terrifies Nancy.

Oz runs after Mrs Doyle and her captors with his crossbow pointed, but he doesn't get far before he suddenly stops and stiffens. He takes a shaky step backward and then turns on his heel to run towards Nancy. Nancy cries out in frustration as he runs up to her. There are two vampires pulling her mother away and three more taking their place with frozen grins, stalking towards them. Nancy can feel her feet hitting the ground, but she's moving backwards. Her mother's anguished face is lost in the darkness as Nancy tries to free her arms. She throws all of her weight forward and tries to breathe.

The vampires draw closer and break into a run.

Nancy falls forward, grunting and is lifted off the ground as her voice finally returns. She struggles with everything she has, not seeing the vampires or the destruction around her. Her mother's expression still wavers in the void through which she disappeared. Nancy screams for her mother and lashes out furiously at Larry and Oz as they set her down in the safety of her own living room and shut the door.

They all stare at the solid wood as the light footsteps approach and stop outside the door. There is a quiet moment before the sound of sniffing, scratching and then a deafening silence. Scott and Jonathon, having managed to drag the Grandma's body into the house, lean back against the wall, panting. They stand in shock for a moment, trying to catch their breath and then Larry starts to wander the lower floor of the house, turning off lights and closing curtains. Oz finally lets go of Nancy and she runs up the stairs. Frowning, he watches her disappear into her room before reluctantly going after her with his head bowed.

"I guess we're staying here tonight." Larry says.

"You think?" Scott sinks into the couch and switches on the television.

Larry picks up the remote and turns the sound down, but leaves the set on. Jonathon disappears into a space between the chairs and closes his eyes.

* * *

Oz finds Nancy frantically packing a medium sized brown leather bag. She seems aware of his presence without even looking at him. Her eyes are wild as she pulls out drawers and empties the contents onto the floor. "I've got ... eight bottle of holy water," she says, raking her hands through her hair. "What the hell? I thought I had more. Stakes," she throws some weapons into the bag with shaking hands and looks around desperately.

Oz watches her for a moment, in alarm. "Nan," he tries to speak as calmly as possible, "We are not going back out there."

Nancy stops moving for a moment and glares at her friend. "Well nobody's asking you, Oz." She pronounces his name with contempt, picks up the bag and moves towards the door. Oz blocks her exit and grabs her when she tries to push past.

"Let me go!" She shouts the second his hands make contact with her and she tries to shake herself free. He is much stronger than she expects him to be, but she manages to wrestle an arm free with which to hit him. He stumbles backward slightly, but keeps a hold of her other arm.

"Nan, your mother is dead!" He cries.

"Let me go!" She screams, her voice tinged with hysteria. "Let me go!"

"She's dead!" Oz shouts as Larry appears at the top of the stairs. Oz repeats himself a few times, shaking Nancy each time he speaks. They slide down against her chest of drawers and Oz pushes his weight against her. Her chest rises and falls in frustration and when she speaks again, it is in a strained whisper.

"Let me go or I swear to God I will kill you." She breathes.

Oz stares back at her, his eyes locked onto hers. "Kill me." He says.

Nancy stares at him for a long time. A lump forms in her throat and she stops struggling. "I can't just leave her out there, Oz. I have to make sure."

"**I'm** sure." Oz isn't ready to release her. His grip loosens, but is still firm. "It's over, Nan." He says quietly, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry."

Nancy's face changes then and when Oz releases her arms, they go up over her head as she starts to cry. Oz pulls her towards him and holds her as Larry's footsteps disappear down the stairs. Oz cradles his friend as the sobs shake her body. When she grows quiet, he eases Nancy back against the drawers and covers her with a blanket. She shivers and stares up at him, unblinking. "Stay here." He says gently. "I'll be back soon."

He makes his way back downstairs, just in time to hear glass breaking, followed by a loud bang. Reluctantly, they make their way over to the front door, which is wide open. The body of Nancy's mother rests in a twisted heap on the floor.

They all recoil in horror at the state of the body, except for Oz, who breathes a sigh of relief.

Oz sighs and closes his eyes. "Good." He says quietly.

"Good?" Larry raised his eyebrows. "That is **not** the reaction I'm having." He explains.

"I had to tell Nancy her mother was dead." Oz gestures to the body. "I'm glad I don't have to lie to her."

"I think I'd rather lie to her." Jonathon backs up against the wall at the sound of more crashes and tumbling bricks. "What are they doing?" He asks, before another crash is heard elsewhere in the house.

"Trying to scare us out." Scott shivers and returns to the couch, fixing his eyes on the screen. "I hate my life. I hate my life. I hate my life. I hate my life." He starts to chant.

Oz closes the door and studies the ceiling as the sounds from outside increase. The cackling, rattling of windows and banging mix with threats as the vampires demand to be let in. Oz can see that the others are scared and he raises his eyes in the direction of Nancy.

"They can't come in. Just be quiet." Oz reminds them as the noise and rattling increase. "They'll get bored and go away. Eventually."

"I think we should call Giles." Jonathan whispers loudly.

"Good idea." Scott jumps off the couch at that point and goes in search of the phone, but Oz and Larry frown at each other.

"If Giles comes over here, he's dead meat." Larry hisses.

"Nobody is calling Giles." Oz agrees. He finds the phone first and rips the cords out of the wall before Scott can seize it. Furious, the other boy makes a futile grab for the phone and then pushes Oz in frustration. Larry steps between the two boys.

"If anyone tries to call Giles, I will throw you outside." Larry glares at Scott and Jonathan. "Get back on the couch." His gaze fixes on Scott. The boy clenches his jaw and shakes his head at Larry, but reluctantly takes up his place in front of the television. He turns the volume up several bars and then throws the remote across the room. It hits the brick and falls onto the tiles, breaking into three pieces. A petrified Jonathon eases himself onto one of the recliners. Frowning, Larry puts his hands on his hips and stares at the floor. Oz lets out a shaky breath and runs back upstairs.

He goes into the bathroom after checking on Nancy, throws the phone into the washing basket and closes the lid. Raking his hands through his hair, he tries to think. He turns the taps on and fills the bath with warm water. He's always thought that there was something timeless about being submerged in hot water. He leads Nancy into the bathroom and leaves her in the middle of the room. The tiny candle, flickering on the sink, makes her look haunted. Oz stands in the doorway, waiting for her to move, but she is stuck in place, shivering and blood stained. She looks as though she is straining to see through the walls and he can't bring himself to close the door on her. Frowning, he gazes thoughtfully in the direction of the staircase and sighs.

He feels an overwhelming desire to comfort Nancy, so he steps into the bathroom and turns the water off. With some gentle prompting, Nancy follows his directions. She leans on him as she steps out of her clothes and into the bath. Her eyes, red and glazed, fix on another spot on the wall as she draws her legs up to her chin and gently rests her face on her knees.

Oz rubs his forehead and takes a deep breath. He picks up Nancy's blood stained clothes and heads back downstairs. Throwing some of the items over Nancy's mother, he manages to snap Larry out of his trance. He goes into the laundry and grabs some towels and blankets, some of which he hands to Larry and Jonathan. He glances at Scott, who is staring numbly at the television, but knows that it's pointless to delegate a job to him. Oz and Larry do most of the work and leave the bundled bodies near the front door.

When they're finished, Oz goes upstairs to check on Nancy and finds her staring at the dark patches on her arms. He grabs a cloth and wipes the blood away from her arms and face and washes her hair. She watches his eyes intently as he does all of this, but her face is expressionless. Oz studies her eyes with concern as he rinses the shampoo out. He wraps a towel around her shoulders and steps back to lean against the sink. For the first time, he tries to imagine what Giles might have done in this situation.

"Want a drink?" He asks her.

Nancy blinks. "All there is is three bottles of wine in the basement." She says in a dull voice.

Oz runs down to the basement to locate the alchohol and finds three bottles in the fridge. One is nearly empty, so he hands it and another bottle to Larry on his way back through the kitchen. He returns to Nancy with a full bottle and a glass and encourages her to drink the bitter liquid. He keeps pouring glasses for her until she tells him that she feels like a bubble that is so large, it fills the room and is square. Then he helps her out of the bath, into a robe and into her bed.

He sits in a chair on the other side of her room and watches her until she falls asleep. Despite the discomfort of the desk chair, Oz dozes off too and wakes up with a start a few hours later. The sun is out, but it's early. He creeps out of the room and downstairs to find Larry mopping the floor.

A wave of appreciation rushes over Oz. "This might seem a little out of place, but I think I want to have your babies." He muses.

Larry chuckles. "Get in line." He looks up to find Oz investigating the room with a frown. "They're gone. They weren't here when I woke up." Larry explains and Oz nods. They set to work over the next few hours, cleaning up outside. Oz is relieved to find his van still working, despite the decorations, so they bundle the bodies into the back and go upstairs to get Nancy.

They drive to school and set her up at a table in the cafeteria. She clutches her head and waves away coffee and food, but they leave her there, staring into the table, and go off to take the bodies to the incinerator.


	7. Chapter 7

"Giles, we have to talk." Larry calls out, rubbing his eyes as he strides into the library.

The librarian nods, but doesn't look up. "Yes, well unfortunately the expression 'better late than never' does not apply to this situation." He throws a stack of books onto the table angrily and it takes the boys a moment to realize that their fearless leader is not happy with them.

Oz studies Giles as he comes to a stop in the middle of the room. It's not only the tone or the words that Giles uses that bothers Oz. It's the look in his eyes. More than danger, exhaustion or disappointment, Giles stares at them as though he doesn't even know them anymore, as though they are strangers.

He tells them about his visit from Scott, the telephone call from Jonathan's mother and the meetings he has with the school board to discuss the future of his employment. He calls them irresponsible, insists they should have called him and Larry makes some absurd comment about Giles chasing the vampires away with smoke signals.

Oz listens carefully to the tone of Giles' words, trying to make sense of the direction his anger has taken, but he struggles. After the events of the night before, Giles' accusations are too much to bear. Oz tries to reason with Giles, but the man interrupts him, several times.

"Do I **look** as though I am finished?" The older man's voice raises to the point of edginess and Oz feels the full force of his glare.

His heart starts to pound in slow, steady beats, and the sound of it in his ears distracts him from the argument that picks up when Larry tries to defend their actions. Not for the first time, Oz feels the downside to holding emotion deep in the pit of his stomach for an extended period of time. He turns to lean over the top of the closest chair, and his hands clench over the top of it.

"So they're not coming back?" Larry is asking, his voice quietening with fatigue.

_Oz has a sudden memory of Giles, crouched down beside him in the living room of his parent's house as Spike and Drusilla writhed happily together against the fabric of his couch, oblivious to anything but each other. He wonders again if Giles knew the extent of the danger he was getting himself into, or if he had just blindly followed Angel's instructions._

_"You must invite Angel into your home!" He had hissed into Oz's ear then, and Oz had followed Giles' every command and suggestion from that point on._

With his heartbeat thundering in his ears, Oz stares, unseeing, at the books on the table and feels control slipping from him.

Giles grows angrier with each word spoken as he considers the idea of a group of four - or worse, three, with Nancy now possibly out of action - three people trying to effect some sort of order in this hellish existence they endure.

The veins on the man's neck bulge as he shouts at them. "The next time something like this happens, I want you to bloody well call me!" He shouts. The silence that follows throws more weight to his anger. He takes a few breaths and wipes his mouth. "Is that understood?" He asks quietly.

Larry's jaw sets as he crosses his arms. Although he doesn't agree with Giles, he seems to accept the misguided concern and frustration. He sees more exhaustion in Giles than he does in himself, so he nods, reluctantly.

Giles stares at the blonde tendrils and sighs. "Oz?"

Oz raises his eyes slowly to Giles. He lets go of the chair and straightens up. Shaking, he storms out of the library and throws his weight at the swinging doors as he heads towards the cafeteria.

He takes Nancy by the arm and leads her out to the van.

"Where are we going?" She queries distantly but he doesn't answer her. The van peels out of the carpark, with the tyres squealing as Oz presses the accelorator almost to the floor and gets them moving out onto the road. They drive in silence for a long time, through town and onto the highway. Nancy seems to come back to life as she watches Oz. His breath comes out in quick, angry bursts. His nostrils flare and his hands increase their grip on the steering wheel until the whites of his knuckles show. He drives erratically too, overtaking at risky spots and hitting the horn when they get stuck behind slower cars.

"Where are we going?" She asks him again, unsure of how to address his odd behavior.

"I'm taking you some place safe." He says quickly and dismissively.

Nancy frowns and considers this. "Like where?" She shakes her head.

He shakes his head. "I don't know. I hear Norway gets a lot of sun during summer."

Nancy rolls her eyes. "Pull over."

Oz ignores her. She asks him twice more, growing angrier each time until she finally screams at him. Oz glances at her and slams his foot on the brakes, driving well off the road before the van finally comes to an abrupt rest. He unclips his seatbelt, turns the engine off and jumps out of the van, slamming the door behind him. Nancy watches in shock as he walks away and she makes an effort to follow him quickly. She runs to catch up to him and stumbles along beside him.

"Oz, tell me what's going on!" She demands.

He doesn't respond immediately, but when he does, he stops and turns towards her. "Jon and Scott are done. They're leaving town."

She lets out a huff and studies Oz for a moment, longing to know what it is that he's not saying. Her eyes narrow. "Okay, well ... it's not that big a deal, you know."

"It is a big deal, Nan." He stares at her.

She shrugs. "Why, because we're all going to die?"

He exhales in frustration and glares in the opposite direction. She reaches out to grab his arm and he pulls away from her and pushes the palms of his hands through his hair. "Nan, I just ... I just need to figure things out, okay?"

She shakes her head and frowns at him. "Why?"

Her question shakes him from his reverie. "What?" He frowns.

"Why do you need to figure things out?" She shouts at him. Oz frowns at her and she sighs and holds her head. "Why can't we just forget this fucking miserable existence for once? Don't you ever want to forget it?"

He's staring at her with the same intensity she saw on the night he kissed her and he's still jittery from whatever happened at school. She walks over to him, grabs fistfuls of his shirt and begins to study his face with a mixed expression of concern and need.

"Don't you ever want to do something that feels good for a change?" She whispers. As she inhales his scent and wraps her fingers in his clothing, her breathing slows. Her face moves close to him. "Oz, why can't you just...?"

He takes a breath and grabs her, pulling her close as he kisses her and wraps his fingers in her shirt and hair. Oz almost bites her as he breaks their embrace to pull her down onto the ground with him, but she doesn't care. She sinks into the cool grass under his weight and tries to give up control. Their captive audience, high in the trees can only be heard faintly and are soon forgotten. Their minds drift far away from the horror of Sunnydale as they move, consumed by need, until their muscles weaken and there is nothing more to do but cling to each other.

* * *

Oz nestles his face into Nancy's neck as she runs her fingers through his hair. They stay like that for too long, until they feel the itchiness of the grass, hear again the traffic of the road hidden by trees. Moving is suddenly an effort they have no energy or desire for. They rest together, staring up at the sky until it darkens and the wind grows colder.

Oz is the first to move. He pulls Nancy up with him and they run back to the van. Oz drives quickly, trying to beat the setting sun.


	8. Chapter 8

When they return to their home away from home, Nancy allows a remorseful Giles to pat her on the back somewhat awkwardly before he follows Oz into his office. Oz shuts the door.

"She doesn't know what they did to her Mom." Oz quietly informs the librarian and Giles nods thoughtfully.

"That's probably best." He agrees. He's had time to calm down, think about the situation, and hear Larry's version of the events. His apology is less than he hopes for, in his quiet, bumbling way, but he is suprised by the graciousness of the teenager.

Oz simply shakes his head slowly. "Giles, it's okay. It was just .. a bad night. We've all got something to learn from it, I guess."

The worn glasses return to the man's head as he clears his throat and straightens up. He wants Oz to know that he appreciates everything that they do and that he will understand if they want to leave. There is nothing keeping them here. "You don't owe me anything." Giles insists.

"Well technically, I owe you my life. But I stay out of choice. I can't not do this, not try." Giles can see the determination in Oz's eyes.

He watches the boy and wonders if it's possible to be proud of something he feels he's had no part in creating.

Oz doesn't take Nancy back to her own house. There's no discussion, he just drives straight to Larry's place.

"I need clothes." She muses, but it's an afterthought.

Oz shrugs. "I'll find you something."

Larry's happy to see them. He takes Nancy into his parent's former bedroom and tells her that this is her new room. She wanders around, looking at the contents with quiet gratitude for a few moments before she looks up at him suddenly.

"This is my stuff." Her eyes narrow and Larry nods slowly. "You went through my stuff?"

Larry sighs. "Seriously, Nan? Look, I thought I was doing a nice ..."

Nancy embraces the football player before he can finish. Her approval is obvious and Larry relaxes and hugs her back. Oz takes up a comfortable position on the bed and nods appreciatively.

Larry tells them that he spent the day moving stuff, with the help of a remorseful Giles. They have done a beautiful job - arranging linen, clothes and a collection of books to rival Giles' and Nancy notices the details. Larry suggests that she would've had the same reaction if he'd just thrown a bunch of her stuff in the corner of the room, but Oz disagrees. He watches Nancy wander the room. He notices her trembling lips and the swell in her eyes, as she tries to be brave and emotionless even in a situation as devastating as this one and he marvels at her strength.

He thinks that maybe she'll get through this okay, that maybe they'll all get through it.

Larry takes dinner out of the oven and they sit down to their first meal in the house together with paper plates in front of the television.


	9. Chapter 9

They're family now. The bond is thicker than superglue and welded iron, or skin sewn together and healed in a way that barely scars. If it wasn't for early morning slumber, showers and toilet breaks, they'd be together all the time, in that comfortable way that compliments Oz's taciturn nature. Alone together.

Larry makes no mention of the fact that Nancy and Oz spend most of their nights with each other. Whether they're sleeping, or clinging to each other, or staring wordlessly at the ceiling, they're together whenever they can be, behind closed doors, but never in front of Larry or Giles. It's not fateful love, souls finding each other in the darkness or an antedote to loneliness. It's everything that's left behind, but it's meaningful.

They invite Giles over for lunches on the weekends and he takes them up on the offer several times, shifting awkwardly through the meals until the conversation takes its inevitable, morbid turn.

They all have nightmares, but only Larry and Nancy discuss the details of theirs. He makes strong coffee in the early afternoon, when they all wake and he and Nancy sit on the front porch, half dressed as they raise their cups to their garden loving, elderly neighbour. Sometimes it's the act of drinking coffee in their pyjamas in the middle of a school day that unsettles them more than coming home night after night, blood stained and wounded to the empty house.

For Nancy's birthday, Larry displays the good china on the dining table and there is an eeriness to the occasion, as though the act of trying to make the most out of the situation signals that the end is near. The plates fall into regular rotation and the scotch gets used up. When money gets tight, Nancy fossicks at her Mother's house for items to sell, and Larry turns his basement upside down. Oz, compelled to contribute in whatever way he can, finally returns to his parent's house, alone, for the first time. Empty houses in Sunnydale now stand abandoned and whatever is left behind is rarely valuable, but it suffices. Oz returns with very little from his home and he's disturbed and distant for days.

Nancy eases some of the concerns that neither Larry or Oz were able to address with each other before she moved in. She keeps track of Oz's meals, because he doesn't eat unless someone puts food in front of him. She dials the number of Larry's brother and pushes the phone into Larry's hand at least once a week and she throws out the last meal that the boy's mother cooked, the meal that causes his shoulders to tense everytime he opens the fridge.

Nancy is so *present*, so unwaveringly resolved in her mission that when they find themselves suddenly staring down at her lifeless form, it doesn't make any sense. Numbness takes over. Nancy lays at an odd angle, mesmerising the boys with her broken neck and dead eyes, as Willow and Xander disappear into the damp night.

They leave her body in the nearest classroom and shut the door. When they get to the library, they discover that Cordelia has been killed. Giles asks them to take her body to the incinerator and at this point it's just another job, but they linger in the basement longer than necessary.

When they finally make it back upstairs, they stare silently at Nancy's body, unable to proceed for some time.

Larry's the first to move. "Are you ready?"

He doesn't think Oz will answer, but there's a quiet breath and then Oz tilts his head in Larry's direction. "Don't think I'm ever gonna be ready for this."

He moves forward though and they pick up Nancy's body and fix their eyes straight ahead. The familiar journey seems longer than usual, but they arrive at their destination too soon.

* * *

It takes more effort than usual to listen to Giles discuss the demon Anyanka and Oz feels his eyes start to glaze over at the mention of the world being somehow worse than it should be. Giles' timing is impeccable, but it's not as though he or Larry are lighting a candle or shedding a tear. They repair weapons until their fingers don't work anymore and then they go home.

Larry picks out a video game, something lacking violence and they find a way to balance the controls between their knees and the palms of their hands so that they don't have to use their aching fingers. The result is less than satisfactory, but Larry doesn't give up. Oz lets the control plummet onto the floor as he watches Larry's car slide all over the screen.

"This game sucks." He muses quietly.

They can't sleep. Oz wanders down the hallway and stares into Nancy's room. His eyes linger on the rumpled bedspread, where her scent and memory call out to him until he finds the strength to close the door. Larry has a look in his eyes that would be unsettling to him if he weren't already unsettled.

Giles is missing from the library when they arrive later in the day. There's no note or signs of a struggle and when they call the librarian at home, there's no answer. They head out to patrol.

When they see a truck on the side of the road and witness two vampires herding a group of humans into the back of it, Oz hits the brakes and they jump out of the van. Oz aims his crossbow, but there's no clear shot until they're too close to esape.


	10. Chapter 10

The survival existence that Oz has endured, means that even as the vampires are throwing his fellow humans and himself into a large, wooden cage, he's counting heads and strategising. It doesn't take him long to realize that they are outnumbered when four doors burst open and dozens of vampires mill into the cold basement. They all have their vamp features on display and are as excited as kids on Christmas morning, waiting to open their presents. Oz's plans change drastically at that point and his guesses for how Giles (if he's still alive), will manage to get them out of this situation become desperate hopes that the librarian will never find them.

Willow and Xander follow a figure in black up to the stage as a hush fills the room. Oz stares at the vampire about to address the crowd and realizes instantly that they are in the presence of the Master. He remembers something Giles had murmured long ago, "Cast your eyes upon the face of the Master and live as a vampire for the rest of your days." His insides turn to jelly.

Their only choice now is to fight. It is merely a choice to die with dignity, to make the vampires earn their kill. But as he watches the first victim being wrenched from their struggling arms, paralysed and lifted onto a conveyor belt, he realizes that this choice is being taken away from them. For the first time, he studies the contraption before them and watches as the metal pipes lower into the helpless girl and pierce her body in four places. The numbness that had descended upon him the moment Nancy's lifeless body crashed to the ground, suddenly lifts.

Usually at about this time in a dire situation, Oz liked to reflect on Nancy's regular critique of his lingering hope, but before he can do that, the master pulls Xander in front of himself to catch a flying arrow. As his former school mate crumbles to ashes before him, Oz turns to locate the shooter. From the descriptions he has read, she looks nothing like a slayer should but there is no other explanation for the skill and strength he witnesses. The sudden erruption of fighting and noise, the release from the cage and the freshly broken stake in his hand all propell him forward, fighting, pushing humans to possible exits, screaming instructions to them and looking over his shoulder for Larry. Out of the corner of his eye, Oz notes Angel's disintegrating form but then Larry is at his side again, helping him gain the momentum to push Willow towards a broken paling on the cage. When she explodes, Oz experiences a rare sense of relief, but it's short lived. He turns around to see two huge vamps dragging Larry away, the slayer in the Master's firm grip and the biggest vampire he's ever seen stalking towards him with a metal bar. He turns to run but another vampire stands in his way, laughing down at him. When the strike connects with his torso he doesn't feel any pain. Everything turns to black and Nancy's words finally catch up with him.

_"Deny it all you want, Oz, but I know you still hope things are going to work out okay. Not in a fireworks and rose bushes kind of way, just a maybe the three of us will actually make it to 21 kind of way. I don't know how you can possibly think that, but you do. And I tell you again and again - it's not going to happen! Not 21. Not 20. We're all going to die. Soon. It's just a question of how."_


End file.
